Electoral Bond Scheme Struck Down: Violated Constitutional Right

The Supreme Court struck down the Electoral Bond Scheme in 2024 primarily because it violated which constitutional right of citizens?

Correct Answer: Right to Information (Article 19(1)(a))

In the landmark case Association for Democratic Reforms & Anr. v. Union of India & Ors (2024), the Supreme Court struck down the Electoral Bond Scheme as unconstitutional. The Court ruled that anonymous political funding violates voters' right to information under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution. It further warned that unlimited corporate funding enabled by the scheme risked creating "institutionalized corruption" where government policies could be shaped by the interests of large donors, fundamentally undermining democratic integrity.

Electoral Bond Scheme — Key Timeline

• Introduced: Finance Act, 2017 (Budget 2017-18) as an alternative to cash donations
• Key change: Removed 7.5% corporate profit cap on political donations; eliminated donor-party disclosure in P&L accounts
• Concern: Information asymmetry — public could not know who was funding which party
• SC ruling (2024): Scheme declared unconstitutional — anonymous funding violates Article 19(1)(a)
• Post-ban landscape: Political funding reverted to Electoral Trusts, direct corporate/individual donations, and ECI's digital IEMS platform

Why Other Options Are Wrong

• Right to equality (Article 14) — The SC ruling was based on transparency and the voter's right to know political funding sources, not equality before law.
• Right to property (Article 300A) — Not a fundamental right; not cited as a basis for the Electoral Bond ruling.
• Right against exploitation (Articles 23–24) — Covers prohibition of forced labour and child labour; entirely unrelated to political funding transparency.

Supreme Court ने 2024 में Electoral Bond Scheme को मुख्यतः नागरिकों के किस Constitutional Right के उल्लंघन के कारण Strike Down किया?

Correct Answer: Right to Information (Article 19(1)(a))

Landmark Case Association for Democratic Reforms & Anr. v. Union of India & Ors (2024) में, Supreme Court ने Electoral Bond Scheme को Unconstitutional घोषित करते हुए Strike Down किया। Court ने Ruling दी कि Anonymous Political Funding, Constitution के Article 19(1)(a) के तहत Voters के Right to Information का उल्लंघन करती है। Court ने यह भी चेतावनी दी कि Scheme द्वारा Enable की गई Unlimited Corporate Funding से "Institutionalized Corruption" का Risk है, जहाँ Government Policies बड़े Donors के Interests से Influence हो सकती हैं।

Electoral Bond Scheme — Key Timeline

• Introduced: Finance Act, 2017 (Budget 2017-18) — Cash Donations के Alternative के रूप में
• Key Change: Political Donations पर 7.5% Corporate Profit Cap हटाई; P&L Accounts में Donor-Party Disclosure समाप्त किया
• Concern: Information Asymmetry — Public को पता नहीं चलता था कि कौन किस Party को Fund कर रहा है
• SC Ruling (2024): Scheme Unconstitutional — Anonymous Funding, Article 19(1)(a) का उल्लंघन
• Post-Ban Landscape: Political Funding फिर Electoral Trusts, Direct Corporate/Individual Donations और ECI के Digital IEMS Platform पर आई

Other Options क्यों गलत हैं

• Right to Equality (Article 14) — SC की Ruling, Transparency और Voter के Right to Know पर Based थी, Equality Before Law पर नहीं।
• Right to Property (Article 300A) — Fundamental Right नहीं है; Electoral Bond Ruling का आधार नहीं बनाया गया।
• Right Against Exploitation (Articles 23–24) — Forced Labour और Child Labour से संबंधित; Political Funding Transparency से बिल्कुल असंबंधित।